Across the Aquarium You Stare Back at Me
by Cooking Spray
Summary: My old SetoxAnzu opus, long abandoned. It had quite a fan following, due to the precocious title, but it reeked of OOCness. Read at your own risk.
1. The Winds of Possibility

Heh heh ^ ^;; I'm very, very naughty........ I have so much other stuff to post and finish that I really shouldn't begin anything new....... But if you're one of those creative peeps like me you just can't ignore those inspiring moments. Written totally on a whim, mind, so I'll just let it take over on auto-write this chappie. Review if you want more!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sweet breeze in my face The window of possibility is open Leaves, green and new Spin in its current And I wonder Where will the wind carry me?  
  
The wind of possibilities Slips through my grasp Wind cannot be tamed by the mortal man. Just like life The wind of possibilities Sometimes strays you off the beaten path.  
  
And as I stare out this window And watch these leave swirl in the wind I can't help but wonder Where will the wind carry me?  
  
Anzu lowered her pen, scrutinizing the carefully printed words on the notebook page. After a few moments, she smiled in satisfaction and stared out her own window of possibilities. The fragile air carried the scent of peach blossoms, and she breathed in heavily until her lungs were filled with their fragrant odor. Anzu welcome this beautiful weather, after all of the rain that the past weeks had brought. Now that the gloom had lifted, she could concentrate on writing poetry again.  
  
The spring air was taunting her. With a small sigh she rose from her desk, assembled her shoes, and stepped out the door, closing it soundlessly behind her. She was going to take a little walk and enjoy the best of the weather.  
  
A sudden breeze shook the peaceful continuum. Her notebook flew open, the pages blowing vigorously in the current. The new page of loose leaf, on which she had written her poem, blew loose and sailed out the window, where only the wind of possibilities could determine its fate.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The paper flew in the window and hit him in the face. He hastily removed it, staring at the pressed wood pulp that had blocked his vision.  
  
Now that he could see clearly again, he noticed that the paper had written on it a poem in large, rounded letters. He read it over briefly, puzzled as to why an abandoned freeverse would suddenly fly through his window and attack him on a calm afternoon.  
  
"Not too bad," he commented as he lay the paper in a stack on the side of his desk. "But who has time to write poetry, anyway?" He laughed ruefully and resumed typing.  
  
"Why bother with possibilities when your life already has a plan that nothing can intervene with?" he mumbled to himself, typing with an even stronger intensity to succeed; absorbing himself in the two-dimensional characters that followed his fingertips on the screen.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Anzu stepped in the front door, the air dusky with the approach of nightfall and the clouds stained with the water pastels of fading sunlight. The walk had taken longer than she had expected, since she had gotten a bit distracted in the park. She discarded her tennis shoes and headed up the staircase humming, feeling refreshed. She was in the perfect mood to finish the poem she had begun that afternoon.  
  
The brunette swung into her seat, flipping open the cover of her notebook without effort. She thumbed through the pages of poems she had written in the past. When she reached the back cover, she looked at it skeptically, her cheerful attitude fading. She shook it to made sure that it wasn't caught between the pages and she had missed. She searched it frantically once more, of course coming up empty handed.  
  
She slumped back in her seat, dispirited. "I know I placed it right there. It couldn't have gone anywhere." She searched a few more places, only to become more disappointed. With her mood now totally diminished, she prepared herself for school the next day.  
  
At last she pulled the covers over her head and lay on her side, sighing heavily. "Wherever it is, I'll find it sometime soon."  
  
Little did she know that the window of possibility had swept her work away, landing it in the hands of one familiar CEO. And that it hadn't strayed from its path an inch.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Who knew Anzu wrote poetry? : P So................ You likey? Was it lame? Too bent up on something or other? Really amazing? Creative? Repetitive? Using too many words to describe a sheet of paper? Whatever you think............. tell me! It only gets better after this........ I have a plot going now! And it's a good one, I think.......................... but them again, what I think tends to be quite wrong in most cases.......... Awe well, I'll just shut up and let you review! See ya! ^_-  
  
(Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to its respective owners, I in no way claim to own any part of it. The plot and the poem, however, are mine. ^__^) 


	2. An Unexpected Visit

This is second chappie! The idea for this one was actually concieved on the school bus......... ^ ^;; This chapter and upcoming chapters will feature at least one original poem or more per post, so if poetry isn't your thing you can skip reading them if you want to. I'll submit them to the Poetry section sometime later........... They're all mine!  
  
My last was much too short and should have really been a prologue. This is much longer! Also, candy and chibi Seto dolls to everyone who reviews ^_^  
  
Having said that, let's not dillydally and cut straight to the quick! Enjoy!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Seto slid into his seat silently that Monday morning, ingnoring the sounds of his classmates in happy reverie around him. He retrieved his homework from the briefcase at his feet, examining his answers and generally shutting himself away from the rest of existence. He was about to sign his name onto an assignment when a female voice caught his ear.  
  
"It was on my desk, but when I got home it had just vanished. I hope someone hasn't taken it," was the slightly disstressed voice of Anzu. Seto caught sight of the speaker, slumped over at her desk. Yuugi was leaning over, trying to encourage her, but this meant little to Seto. He had heard what he needed, and was already turning back to work. His thoughts centered on the poem he had encountered yesterday. If his was thinking correctly..........  
  
His mouth twisted itself into a small smirk and he continued to review his homework, thoughts flickering through his mind like cars in a Tokyo substation.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The smirking CEO plodded along the sidewalk, a torn square of newsprint from the local telephone directory within his fingertips, the poem folded neatly in the pocket of his trenchcoat. He glanced at the adress a second time and turned swiftly to the right, passing rows of middle class homes as he moved on.  
  
"Never would have figured she was the type for writing poetry.............. guess we all have our secrets," he muttered, chuckling dryly. It was a fair, peaceful day, the air still and undisturbed. A slight breeze blew. What better things did he have to do?  
  
None. He had no friends to fool around with. Part of this was because of the fact that he considered himself ten times smarter than any of the pathetic attendants of Domino High School, making it impossible to gain any favor with a member of the student body. And he rather liked to throw that in the face of anyone who dared ask to sit by him at lunch. From the first three weeks and then on after, no one dared to ask, and he was free to eat in happy solitude. The way he had grown accustomed to.  
  
He'd reached the adress. After a short pause, he walked up to the doorstep and pressed in the button. He heard an automated 'ding-dong' echo from inside and waited, taking note of his surroundings out of boredom. Potted plants. Rocking chair. Knitted doormat.  
  
Finally the squeak of hinges reached his ears, and he turned to see a middle-aged woman with short auburn hair styled into a bob, waring red lipstick and gold hoop earrings. She was up to her elbows in flour. Looking at him with a puzzled expression, she managed, "Yes?"  
  
"May I see Anzu for a moment, please?" he asked patiently.  
  
"I don't see why not......." was the answer, the woman obviously still confused. She walked over to the foot of the stairs. "Anzu, there's a young man here to see you!" she called.  
  
Anzu, working on her algebra, heard the call. Thinking it was Yuugi or Jounouchi, she uttered a quick "Be right there!" and sat up, opening the door and racing down the stairs. Her pace slowed as she neared the carpet, realizing that the call wasn't from any one of her friends.  
  
She stopped three feet in front of her visitor. "Kaiba?............... What are you doing here?" she asked dumbly, stating the oldest question in the book.  
  
He donned his safest, most common expression; a smirk, and reached into his pocket. "Returning this," he replied, and placed it in her hand.  
  
Puzzled, Anzu unfolded the paper. To her amazement, printed on the sheet of loose leaf was all three stanzas of her poem. She read it over, then looked at Kaiba incredulously, her normal skeptism swallowed by surprise. "How did you...................."  
  
The CEO crossed his arms across his chest and explained. "It hit me in the face while I was typing. I almost threw it away until I overheard you talking about a missing poem this morning. I figured it must be yours so I returned it."  
  
Anzu was speechless. Kaiba, doing something nice? Would Yuugi love to hear about this....... Finally she found her voice. "Why did you return it? I mean, you usually aren't very nice to people, so I was wondering.........."  
  
Seto scowled. "I returned it. Isn't that enough? Besides," he said, turning to face the wall, "Does it look like I have to be anywhere?"  
  
Anzu bit her lip. She didn't know how to reply. It was true that Kaiba had no friends........ But of course she'd always thought he liked being the part of an arrogant, pompous, rich isolated jerk. It was always hard to know what he was thinking. Maybe she'd just better accept. "Thank you, I appreciate it........"  
  
The smirk returned. "You're welcome." With that he turned and let himself out the door without so much as a goodbye. Anzu watched him disappear from view before reading the poem that she still clutched uncertainly in her hand. It was the same, but the whole affair was strange. Her trust for the former top duelist still wavered uncertainly.  
  
She walked into the kitchen. He mother was bent over the counter, stirring a huge bowl of cake batter with enormous vigor. She sat at the table, still staring at the poem in utter disbelief, as if she believed the words would disappear at any given moment.  
  
"Who was that young man that came here to see you?" her mother inquired.  
  
"Someone from school," Anzu answered. "Kaiba Seto."  
  
"Why did he want to speak to you?" She dumped the mix into a cakepan and carried it over to the oven.  
  
"Just returning a paper," she offered simply. "Nothing big."  
  
"Oh." Her mother turned to face her, grinning slyly. "He was really handsome," she said with a twinkle in her eye.  
  
"Okaa-san!" she exclaimed, slightly flustered. She didn't know why, it just bothered her to hear her mother talk in such a manner about Kaiba. Nevertheless, that didn't stop her from thinking about it.......  
  
The woman chuckled. "Okay, okay, I won't embarrass you," agreed, turning back to her cooking. Anzu sat there for a few moments, shaken by some invisible force. Her cheeks felt hot.  
  
"I'm going upstairs to finish my homework," she announced, standing up and pushing her chair in. "Call me when supper is ready." She trotted up the stairs towards her bedroom.  
  
"Okay, will do," she chirped, still chuckling lightly as she rummaged in the spice rack. This somehow annoyed her daughter. She shut the door of her bedroom.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Anzu tried to concentrate on doing what she had intended, but her mind began weaving baskets with the yarns that she had been fed and couldn't concentrate. Finally, she pushed her homework aside and whipped out her poetry notebook. Armed with a pen, she let her thoughts feed themselves through her furiously scribbling hand.  
  
Everyone saw, but they didn't know  
  
Awake in wonder, late for the show  
  
Constant suppression, beleaguarment  
  
Something that no one could see  
  
Endless surprise, worthless guesses  
  
Wish I knew why  
  
You left before you came  
  
You kept my mind in constant churn  
  
Who are you?  
  
Wish I knew  
  
All of the crazy things you do  
  
Or if there's something we're all missing  
  
What do you need?  
  
I wonder, just like I do  
  
As I look at the stars at night  
  
You're that far away  
  
Yet I find myself reaching  
  
Unsure of what to wish for, but I keep racing  
  
After that lone starlet  
  
The only light in my dark sky.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The poem was confusing...... Anzu is subconciously writing about Seto.......... this is already peppered with hints, so I'll refrain from selling the rest of my plot to you just yet.  
  
Thankies to Ana for an idea of hers.... read her review. ^^ It won't show up until later, though. It's funny, she meant to make a statement, but it actually got my gears turning, so.......... They might actually roll in the mud and admit their love for each other after all....... Heh heh heh... ^_- 


	3. A Blossoming Romance

Greetings! Spread the joy, the next chapter has arrived! Boy, did that sound corny....... Anyhow, as I've mentioned, chapter three is done, read and be merry! Silver Dragon, if you don't mind so much, I'd be happy to use your lyrics in my fic, they're really excellent. ^_^ And yes, Ori, that paper did fly quite far..... but it was the wind of possibilities that blew it, and it followed the road of destiny. Oh, Anzu can write a poem about that too...... Not really. Besides, this is an Anzu/Seto fic, sooo....... thank you, everyone for your kindness! Most of you have remarked about how realistic it is............. I'm flattered! I love to hear from you, so drop me a line anytime, kay? Now, sink your teeth into the REAL story! ^_~  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The slight sound of a plastic tray plunking down and sliding across the table was heard, rousing Anzu from her trance. Its creator sat next to her, smiling. It was Yuugi.  
  
"Konnichiwa, Anzu-chan," he greeted her brightly in typical Yuugi- fashion. "Have you found your poem yet?"  
  
Anzu smiled and began to relax. She nodded in affirmation.  
  
"Where was it?" Jounouchi interjected, popping the lid off of a soda he'd purchased from a nearby vending machine.  
  
"In the Kaiba mansion," she answered, beginning to unwrap her lunch.  
  
"The Kaiba mansion?!" was the simontaneous reaction. Her friends stared at her, mouths agape.  
  
"How in in the heck it'd get there?" asked Honda, staring at her wide- eyed and waiting for an explanation.  
  
She'd expected something like this. After all, they were acting just as she had when she'd seen him on her doorstep. She did a quick recap of the situation, appropriately leaving out some unecessary facts.  
  
"He returned it, just like that?" Honda inquired in disbelief, in his mind not sure Kaiba was capable of actually doing such a thing.  
  
"I think he stole it and brought it back," Jounouchi offered, confident in his words.  
  
"Come on, Jounouchi-kun, he isn't that rude. Besides, Anzu-chan's poem was of little importance to him, it was just a fortunate accident. Right, Anzu-chan?" asked Yuugi, hopeful. Little Yuugi, always trying to restore the peace; everybody's best friend.  
  
"Right," she agreed, and forced a tight smile upon her lips. Her thinking had lead to her to believe that it wasn't just one time, one odd thing that could blow over. It was perhaps too odd to be just that. But what did it have to do with Kaiba? These were the things that continually tumbled around in her mind. But she didn't want this to involve Yuugi, or worry him in any way. As good of a friend as he was to her, this was her problem, to solve alone. Therefore she created the illusion of compromise.  
  
"See, Jounouchi-kun? You're just jumping to conclusions."  
  
"I still say he stole it."  
  
"Donkey."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Anzu quietly resumed eating, ignoring her friends' antics. So many questions still remained. The yarns in her mind had woven baskets and then some, and now they were mere thread, worn from constant thought, kinking and knotting.  
  
She paused, and for only a few short moments looked at Kaiba. Forcing her eyes away, she now focused on eating once more. Yet new thoughts aroused themselves in her mind. He had looked so isolated, alone, sitting only with solitude. She felt something new, quite unlike anything she'd ever experienced, the overpowering urge to help him. With what? In an instant she wanted to know the real him, the Seto that lurked beneath the surface, know what went on his head. She actually felt a little sorry for him. Maybe, if he had someone, anyone, to talk to, someone who could get tthrough that hardened sheild, there was a person beneath, someone worth knowing. Someone she could talk to, say more than just vent the thoughts she often couldn't even properly translate into poems.  
  
Her own musings surprised even her, and she shut off the flow of thoughts. Turning back, she faded once again into normality. But still was the echo she tried to ignore:  
  
Maybe, maybe.............  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Characteristic brunette bob bouncing as she skipped lightly across the sidewalk, the weight of her books were forgotten, and even any other worries that usually clouded her stream of thought. She piruoetted in circles along the concrete sidewalk, veering farther out of city limits. Ahead of her lay a field, overgrown with wildflowers, that she simply could not pass up. Giving in to her childish dreams, she sprinted across the desserted street and into the field.  
  
She shed her school bag and froliced across the vast flowery land, collapsing into the carpet of overgrowth. Pollen and petals rose like clouds of dust at the disturbance, intoxicating her with their brilliant odor.  
  
Everthing lay still. Anzu watched the remains of the small, nameless wildflowers being blown and scattered into the winds. She sighed. A sudden breeze swept past, a sign that our poet was not yet aware of. For it was not any mere breeze like the many that aroused the peace daily, it was the wind of possibilities, sweeping down to restore fate.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The tall presence of Kaiba Seto dominated the sidewalk. It was really spontaneous of someone of his stature to just suddenly decide to go outside in the daylight and fresh air, but it was as if someone was nagging him, lulling him almost, to do so. He had gived up ignoring the thought after having the papers in the open drawer of his file cabinent blown and scatted all across his office, so he had reluctantly rose and gave in, still without intention.  
  
Walking swiftly across the pavement, he began to see the commercial shops that lined the streets of Domino slipping away. Ahead lay vast fields of farmland, scorched and dead in the fall sun. In his mind he wished to turn back, but mindlessly he continued, until he halted just at the outskirt of town. A bright field was on his left, alive with wildflowers still gorgeous and in their autumn prime. He felt drawn to it. With a small shrug he walked over to it, pressing his way through the callous blossoms. What better things did he have to do?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The sound of footsteps crackling along the earth awakened her from her reverie. There was an intruder in her oasis. Out of pure curiosity she sat up. As one knows, it is quite odd to be laying in a deserted field overgrown with autumn wildflowers and suddenly find that one of your classmates had that same idea on that same date. But though this was a rare occurence, fate was at work, unbeknownst to the two who lay idle in the flower bed.  
  
At once she spotted the intruder, very blatant in his navy attire, rising up out of the flowers like a giant. Her eyes opened wide, and she blinked disbelievingly.  
  
"Kaiba?"  
  
He turned, hearing his name. Seeing Anzu, his eyes widened subtly, for he was also startled.  
  
She sat up to face him. They stood, in almost total silence, two figures parallell amongst the goldenrod and cottonwood.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
He still stared at her, as if he had not heard the question properly. This was reminding him of their interval just yesterday. Why did he keep meeting her? And of all places, in an overgrown field?  
  
He smirked, finally deciding to answer. "The same reason you are, I suppose."  
  
Anzu was at a loss of words. Again had they met. These meetings were quite strange, and now in the most deserted of her special places. But why......... why Kaiba? Struggling to find the answers to her burning questions, she spoke.  
  
"How did you know I would be here? And why......... have you come to this place?"  
  
He sighed. Didn't she know not to ask so many questions? Oh well, what harm would it do to tell her the truth? Surely none. Yet a little voice in the back of his head kept telling him that this was progressing into something more than friendship. Ignorant, he continued.  
  
"It's really strange, isn't it?" he said with a chuckle. Anzu watched him with wonder. "Now that I've returned your poetry the world keeps making excuses for me to meet you." He shoved his hands into his pockets and faced the sunset. "I had no intention of going anywhere. It's quite unlike your image of me, to be the kind who takes walks, isn't it? The wind scattered my work so I decided to give in. I felt drawn to this place." He faced her once more and looked her in the eyes. "I had no idea you would be here."  
  
"I'm sorry if you thought I was accusing you," she blurted, almost nervously. "But I believe you."  
  
He looked back at the girl, awed. Was she apologizing? For once some of the stone sheild he normally hid beneath slipped away. But this was Anzu. He'd known her since the beginning. But now............ perhaps she wasn't pretending. Perhaps........  
  
The poet smiled shyly and sprinted over to Seto's side. "So.............now that you are here, what will you do?" She searched his face to find the answer.  
  
The wind was blowing again. This was becoming too comfortable. But what was he worrying about? He didn't have to be anywhere. "I don't know........." his eyes scanned the horizon, the orange sunshine slipping beneath it. The air was beginning to get cool. He turned his head to speak to the girl. "It's getting kind of late." Anzu almost expected to see the old Kaiba at this next part, but his face remained blank. He looked directly at her. A shiver ran up her spine, half from the cold, half from something she couldn't say.  
  
"You wouldn't mind so much if we were seen walking together, would you?"  
  
She shook her head. No other reply rose to her lips.  
  
He smiled. A genuine smile, one that so few had ever seen. Why are you acting this way, Kaiba? You have work to do, don't waste your time. But he silenced these thoughts. Somehow, this felt right...........  
  
"Good then. We'd better start off now, if we want to be home by dark."  
  
Another nod. She fell into stride with him, silent. They had reached the small drugstore that Anzu had went to to purchase her school supplies when she looked up at her accomplice. His face bore an uncharacteristically pleasant expression as he faced the wind, his hair slightly tousled from its touch. He actually was really cute. She blushed profusely at this and snapped her head downward.  
  
"So.......... who do you live with?" she managed to ask after some time.  
  
"Just Mokuba," Seto replied, still facing ahead. The stores that lay between them and the Kaiba Mansion were quickly disappearing. Too quickly for Anzu.  
  
She gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry!"  
  
He smiled and looked down at her apologetically. "It's okay. I'm not hurt." Why, why was he being so nice to her?  
  
A few moments passed after she spoke again. "Do you ever miss them?" This was a little bold, and probably if anyone else had asked it he wouldn't have replied the way he did. Yet he took it well, surprisingly.  
  
"Of course, sometimes........... I do with they were there a lot. There are some of those days when you wish that you had them to fuss over you, reprimand your wrongdoings. But I've learned to love them and live without them. I have Mokuba, and to me that's enough." Another smile. "Answer your question?"  
  
She looked down quickly, her cheeks flushed. He received a small nod.  
  
The iron gates of the mansion became visible. They stopped before the entrance gate. "Well, here I am." He looked back at Anzu. "You can make it home from here, can't you? If not, I'll walk with you." Why are you promising to walk with her, Kaiba? You don't even know her. Just tell her to go home and then get inside and finish your work. He exiled these thoughts again.  
  
She shook her head. "No, I'll be fine. Thanks for.......asking." Quit flushing! You don't like him, he's Kaiba! He ripped up Sugaroku's Blue Eyes! You don't want anything to do with him. Quit wasting time. Anzu ignored this.  
  
"You're sure?" Of course she's sure! Now quit your worrying and go inside already. But his happiness overthrew his normal train of thought.  
  
Once again, a nod.  
  
"Alright then. Stay out of trouble." For God's sakes, you sound like her boyfriend! What is wrong with you?!  
  
She turned back just before she rounded the corner. "I will. Goodnight.........Seto." And with that remark she disappeared, leaving him shocked at the gate. Had he heard that correctly? Seto? The only person who had called him Seto in over ten years was Mokuba.........  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A stray stream of light flowed into the dark room, alerting the small figure on the couch to turn off the video game console and pretend to be finishing his homework. A light switch was flicked on and when Mokuba found him, Seto was hanging his trenchcoat on the rack by the door.  
  
He scowled. "You're late, onni-chan," he stated in a disapproving tone, arms crossed over his chest.  
  
Seto smiled again, and plafully ruffled his brother's untidy hair. "I was taking a walk and I lost track of time," he answered, walking into the kitchen and extracting a metal pot from the cabinet.  
  
The scowl deepened. This was absurd. These excuses did not slip by him. They were lame, even for his brother. "Then why was that girl who hangs around with Yuugi walking with you?" the younger Kaiba inquired suspiciously, watching as Seto froze halfway in opening a box of instant noodles.  
  
His happy attitude dispersed completely. "That....... is none of your business," he answered icily, switching on the burner and slamming the noodles down on the flame to warm them. He whirled around. Sighing, he saw Mokuba's hurt expression and rubbed his temples, smiling at him solemnly as he drew his hands away. He hadn't meant to upset his brother. He loved him more than anyone.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mokuba, I didn't mean to make it sound that way," he offered for consolance. Easily cheered, Mokuba's expression already looked uplifted.  
  
"But why were you with that lady?" he asked, still curious. He snuck a glance out the window, seeing her about to turn the corner. He had to know more about this girl. She had made Seto happy...........  
  
Seto grinned in defeat. "You don't like to give up, do you?" He stirred the noodles once and turned back to face his brother. "We met up walking, and it was getting kind of late, so I offered to walk her home." He grinned again. It was pretty much the truth. Mokuba didn't need to know everything. "I don't think you can find a problem with that."  
  
"Oh, okay," the young boy replied happily, obviously satisfied.  
  
"Good then. And I know you have homework, so go upstairs and and finish it and I'll call you down for dinner."  
  
"Okay!" He bounded up the stairs two at a time, as most twelve-year- olds do. He was happy. But when he reached the landing, he veered off in the direction of the library rather than his room, where his backpack still lay on the floor, containing his untouched schoolwork.  
  
"First things first," he mumbled, summoning a chair to help him reach the shelves. It took him only a few minutes to find what he needed.  
  
Mokuba placed the chair back in its respective place at the table and plopped down in it, opening the thick publication and leafing through the pages.  
  
"Now let's see, what was her name......"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Yum........ I'm eating Japanese cream candies.......... Phew! I think that was a good place to end it........ Finally, I'm finished with this chapter. Seto just did not want to cooperate with me..... ^^;; But it's done and that's what counts, right? And a few questions: Did I do well in capturing Mokuba's character? Was the Seto OOC-ness too spontaneous of did it fit in? And, most importantly, I am I getting into this too fast? Oh, and sorry about the flower-field thingy........ That was really random, I don't know where in the heck it came from. Anyway, as always, r+r! I already have the ideas for the next two chappies so they'll hopefully be up in a couple days or so. See ya! *blows kisses* 


	4. As Fate Would Have It

Welcome back, everybody! Okay......... This fic is getting quite popular! *blush* I didn't know you guys loved me so much! Well, all I can say is, this chapter is payment. So sorry for not getting this up sooner, a lot has come up between school and family, so I've been pretty busy. And if I write when I'm busy, it sounds rushed and it isn't good at all. Be glad for its lateness, I wanted to give you the best, you certainly deserve it! Oh, and I'm really sorry for the Kaiba OOC-ness in the previous chappie; he'll be back to the coldhearted jerk that we all know and love this time, kay? Very well...... let's................................*drumroll* BEGIN!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Anzu's eyelids sagged, the sensei's lesson becoming a drone. She'd finally clambered into bed at two o' clock last night after writing poem after poem. Her inspiration seemed to be on a constant peak. Now she paid the price for her writings.  
  
The lazy autumn air seemed to be just what she needed to finally really fall asleep. Her head rested upon the desktop, her mouth open slightly, rythmically breathing. No one seemed to notice this fact, however, because everyone was listening to the details of a huge literature assignment.  
  
Everyone except Kaiba.  
  
Who, unlike Anzu, was simply not listening. The assignment was something about discovering hidden personalities within classmates you supposed you knew well, from what he gathered. The whole project was to take a month, and you were to select a person to partner up with. In those thirty-one days you were to find out everything you possibly could about that person, so that when you presented it on the due date, the class would feel as if they were meeting a new student. It sounded juvenile and absurd to Seto. Which was why he was finishing his math homework instead. At least the numbers kept his mind occupied on something other than the sensei's mindless chatter and would actually serve a purpose later in life.  
  
This served as punishment. He had been very stupid the night before. He must not let such matters happen again. Emotions were invalid; they would only get in the way of his work, the work that which Gozaburo's haunting image still plagued him to finish. How could he have let it get so far from friendliness in so short a time?  
  
He ignored and fought the pivotal pull that tried to convert his ways, the wind that blew him on that route. The wrong route. He couldn't fall in love. He didn't have the time.  
  
But fate would see about that.  
  
"So, you heard the directions. Grab your notebooks, get those pens out of your mouths, and go find a partner."  
  
Seto's pencil stopped in mid-equation. His peers rose and scrambled around the room like chickens with their heads cut off. Naturally, no one came within five feet of him, and he wasn't surprised, with the kind of reputation he had. This didn't bother him a bit, but it would a certain sleeping girl sitting in the only other desk besides his that wasn't vacant.  
  
Anzu.  
  
He sighed. If fate wanted to play these littles games, he'd play right along. But it still wouldn't change his mindset any. He rose from his seat and walked towards hers. Shaking her shoulder gently, he whispered, "Get up."  
  
She moaned slightly. Her eyelids twitched and then fluttered open. "Mmmmmm?" She looked up and saw Seto withdraw his hand from her shoulder. She stumbled to her feet in a rush, flustered.  
  
"So you've decided to join us." His lips twisted into their standard smirk.  
  
"Ummmm, what?" she asked, obviously not awake. She rubbed her her eyes and suppressed a yawn, looking at him with her huge blue eyes, sparkling anew with fresh slumber.  
  
He was patient. "The assignment. We're supposed to have a partner for a month's time. She has the idea that if we gather everything we possibly can about this person in that time that when we present it to class, we'll be meeting a new person. I think the whole thing is insane, but I don't think it's worth the sacrifice of our grade."  
  
She nodded. "So..... why are you telling me this?" She leaned against her desk, trying to coverup a small yawn. She smiled at him sheepishly, blinking heavily.  
  
The poor girl was still half asleep. "You're going to be my partner."  
  
She sat back down at the small desk, curling up in her sweater. "I like that," she said sleepily, and then drifted off, a content smile on her lips.  
  
"I'm sure you will," he stated sardonically, looking back at her peaceful expression as headed back to his seat. "I'm sure you will."  
  
With the traces of a sadistic grin on his face he headed his paper, directing all of his thoughts toward work, once again tuning out the world around him  
  
Fate giggled impishly, sending a sudden, raucous breeze through the tree limbs. If only he could see how truly absurd he was to say so. No one could outsmart destiny. He had already strayed down the path to denial, of course the wrong one.  
  
Who knew what would happen in that month's time?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
She slowly unknotted the the fabric, more tedious than usual. Everything had been slow and distant today. Removing a small, colorful package of Japanese noodles from the bundle, she waited until she heard Yuugi arrive, always the last to join them.  
  
"Hello minna," he announced.  
  
"Yuugi........ do you mind if go talk with someone for a minute?' she inquired, her eyes flickering toward the menacing figure of one CEO sitting directly behind her.  
  
The young boy looked at her and blinked, puzzled. "Sure......" he said in respondence, "but why?"  
  
"Just something to do with homework, that's all," she explained, flashing him a reassuring smile.  
  
"Oh, alright then," was the automatic reply, the youth ensured by Anzu's word.  
  
"Arigato!" And she was up and halfway across the cafeteria before anyone could make another comment.  
  
Honda swallowed a bite of soggy, grease-covered cafeteria tempura. "She's certainly on the get-go lately," he remarked.  
  
The remaining occupants exchanged knowing looks.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Thunk. Seto's head snapped attentively in response to the clatter. He was mildly surprised to see Anzu sliding in the bench opposite of him. Wait, then again, he wasn't. Damn. He knew he shouldn't have done that last night. Now she would think it was okay for them to suddenly start hanging out together all of the time, all because of that dumb project. Hatred for the poor teacher was already beginning to rise in veins.  
  
With a small sigh, he looked upon his visitor. "You're asking about our assignment, right?" he asked as smoothly as he could.  
  
"It wasn't that hard to guess, I suppose," she replied with a short giggle, blowing her bangs out of her eyes. She rested her elbows on the table and gave him a smirk of her own. "We could start tonight, if you want to. My house after school sound okay? The sooner the better." What she didn't say was that she was actually looking forward to the project, but she herself didn't know this as a whole conscious thought yet.  
  
There was no use in arguing; the whole thing was probably harmless anyhow. "Fine. Meet me outside after school, we'll walk together." His expression never changed.  
  
"Good. See you then!" she replied surprisingly tersely, seeming to ignore his rudeness. She waved a small goodbye as she turned to leave and skipped off to join her friends once more.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Seto leaned against the stone column, tossing his wristwatch in the air. He glanced at the piece of metal for a second, examining the time. 6:07. He began to toss it again, his icy stare utterly ignorant of the passing students around him. The watch had been his father's. It was a family heirloom. As the years had stretched after his father's death, became far and wide between, Seto had forgotten its semblance. Still he absentmindedly placed it in his pocket every day before departing for school.  
  
At long last a breathless Anzu bolted through the exit, and Seto straightened up at her approach and slipped the watch back into his pocket. Immediately as she stepped in stride he began walking, her beside him panting and stuffing papers into her school bag.  
  
"You're late."  
  
"Gomenasai! I didn't mean to keep you waiting. I dropped my books on the way out." She looked up at him, but he stared on ahead at the empty air. Something told her this wouldn't be anything like the walk they'd taken last night.  
  
He made a short grunt of affirmation and then the conversation became idle for a good while. As the scenery escaped them, Anzu grew nervous under the tension.  
  
"So, how shall we begin?" she offered, some hope still shining like a shard of glass in the sun within the good of her heart that the conversation could be saved.  
  
"We'll ask each other the necessary questions. And then I'll leave." He never turned her way.  
  
Discouraged, Anzu looked down at the sidewalk and sighed dejectedly. It was no use. He had already forgotten last night, or rather forced himself to forget.  
  
She wouldn't let him forget again.  
  
They reached the door. She curved her head around to look at him again before they entered.  
  
"Make yourself at home. I can fix us something to eat if you'd like, but I don't think you're going to stay long, ne?"  
  
He gave her a wry grin. "The sooner the better," he quoted. She nodded, the gesture taking more effort than usual, and slowly led him up to her room.  
  
She opened the door and peered into her room, making sure it was presentable. Seeing that they was nothing within view that looked objectionable, she swung the door open and they both walked in.  
  
She flopped down on the bed and offered Seto one small, terse smile, knowing that he wouldn't acknowledge it. He stood in the opposite corner of the room near her dresser, looking pointedly away from her at a very interesting subject; the wall. She was suddenly very nervous at the prospect of having him in her room.  
  
Drawing in a deep breath, she leaned over and grabbed her notebook, flipped to a fresh page, and grabbed her pencil. She looked at him to begin, and their eyes locked.  
  
How could she begin?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I'm watching............... Yu-Gi-Oh! Meyari is cute ^^ You really can't tell she and Mokuba apart in that one scene....... He says 'Onni-sama' way too many times though, have you noticed? *ahem* Well, I'm FINALLY finished with this chapter. It took forever, I wasn't in the mood to write, so busy and all. Also I'm having a little problem with the seasons if you've noticed. In the first chapter when Anzu is watching the leaves outside of her window, I make a remark about peach blossoms and spring, but then in the third chapter it's suddenly autumn. I'll have to go fix that ^^;; Anyhow, I promise, the next chapter will be up soon, I already have it all planned. I'm feeling really creative this week so you might even see it tomorrow!  
  
Wow, I talk too much. Well, say ya minna-san! Sayonara! *waves*  
  
^_^......................................... 


	5. Authoress's Note

Okay, dear readers, before you all begin flaming, please let me give my alibi. First off, I appreciate your reviews- 32 is a lot for only four chapters, I know stories with many, many chapters that have received less. I appreciate that you love the work I have put into this story, I like it myself. It even earned me two spots on the favorites lists of anime-angel and Xaphania (Thank you!), something that pleases me beyond belief as a writer to know that I've really impressed someone with my work. But this isn't a letter of sentimentality, so I'll get back to the point that you probably are already expecting and dreading.  
  
Sadly, Across the Aquarium is about to take a holiday. Chapters 5 and 6 will be posted soon, but further updates are ultimately postponed until I find the time to write them. It's beginning to feel like work to me, and when writing becomes work, it sucks the fun out of it, and that is the essecnce of writing for the creator. Plus, between four other fics, homework, computer viruses, grounding, family, and not to mention romantic problems, the pressure of writing this is bringing me down.  
  
I know it's something big to ask you to please bear with me in this, but I hope that if you like this story enough you'll stick with it long enough until I can find the time to update it. I can't make you, but I truly hope so. Most writers won't even flat-out tell you this. Don't expect anything to be up for a while, though, it'll be slow but I'll try to update as soon as I've written anything, when I write anything.  
  
I'll probably really upset someone by saying this, but in the world of writing, where there are so many opinions, I've learned you can't possibly please everyone. I can, however, ask you to please visit some of my other works, which will be revived during this "break". So check for updates.  
  
But, at this time, Across the Aquarium is officially on hiatus until further notice.  
  
Many Apologies and Best Reguards,  
  
Cooking Spray 


End file.
